The 2018 Asia Cup is scheduled to get underway from September 15, 2018. A total of 13 matches will be played at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi and Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The final is scheduled to be played on September 28 in Dubai. In the meantime, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 16-man squad for the six-nation extravaganza in the UAE.

A fiery lineup in place

The team isn’t short of firepower by any means. They have the likes of Fakhar Zaman and Asif Ali, both of whom were in prime form during Pakistan’s tour of Zimbabwe for a T20I triangular series followed by an ODI series. Shoaib Malik and Babar Azam lend solidity to the middle-order. Imam-ul-Haq, who has scored four tons in his first nine ODIs, is also a part of the team.

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Left-handed batsman Shan Masood, who is yet to make his international debut in the 50-overs format, has also been drafted in. The pace attack is a power-packed one with the likes of Mohammad Amir, Junaid Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Usman Shinwari, Hasan Ali and teenage sensation Shaheen Shah Afridi in their ranks. Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz are the spinners.

Imad Wasim, who failed the yo-yo test on Monday, missed the bus. Sarfraz Ahmed remains to be the captain of the team. Pakistan are placed in Group A, which also features India and the qualifier. Their first match is against the qualifying team on September 16 in Dubai. They are currently the fifth-ranked team in the 50-overs format and would be keen to put their best foot forward in the tournament.